THE Maytime Inn, Asthall, which suffered so badly from the July floods, has been brought back to life again and simply oozes with atmosphere.

I was there for dinner with the renowned photographer Paul Felix, who specialises in taking scenic pictures of the Cotswolds and the many craftsmen and women who work in this beautiful area. You will find his photographs gracing the covers of many glossy magazines that feature life in the Cotswolds. We met to discuss Cotswold food and food photography, and what better place to choose than the Maytime Inn, which belongs to May and Tim Morgan, who bought the freehold in 1975, and renamed it by combining their own names.

When the River Windrush, which runs nearby, turned into a swollen and angry torrent and burst her banks, its waters flooded 26 houses in the village and pushed five foot of muddy water into The Maytime Inn. It took more than eight months and dozens of dehumidifiers to dry it out and make good the damage. Sadly, in bringing it back to life, some things have had to go - most particularly the many teddy bears who once sat suspended in the rafters above the main restaurant and bar. They are stored in black plastic bags, waiting for new homes.

Tim explained that when they removed them from their lofty perches during the refurbishment period, it soon became clear that they were so dusty and stained from years of tobacco smoke that they simply couldn't remain where they were. Besides, teddy bears don't fit in with the stylish new look this pub now sports. The bar has been moved and boasts a smart marble top, and the dining area has been opened up. Indeed, the whole place has been given a contemporary look, which certainly doesn't detract in any way from the original character of this beautiful Cotswold stone building, which dates back centuries.

There are three excellent real ales on tap: Fullers London Pride, Flowers IPA, and Timothy Taylor's Landlord, which has always been one of my favourites. This classic strong pale ale, which has won more awards nationally than any other beer, never fails to please.

The lounge lunch and supper menu offers traditional ploughmans, with home-made pickles, at £6.95, and hot dishes, such as home-made pie of the day, with minted peas and mash, at £11.95. But we were there for dinner, so we made our selection from the main menu.

All the food is cooked by Tim and May's very talented daughter, Tori (short for Victoria), who is working in a new state-of-the-art kitchen.

Tori sources local produce where possible, which is why I chose the Gloucester Old Spot pork, pictured, pan-fried, with rosemary gravy and garlic potatoes (£14.95) which was superb. Tori had managed to make the crackling crackle, and create a crunchy topping for the potatoes, which were simply delicious. The vegetables that accompanied my pork included soft-cooked spring onions and baby carrots. As Paul is a vegetarian, he chose the fresh duo of tortellini, with tomato concassee and mixed salad (£11.95). I noticed with some amusement that he appeared to be enjoying this so much that conversation ceased for a while as he tucked into his dinner. He could have had a home-made vegetarian pie of the day (£11.95), or Breton tart on salad leaves and saute potatoes (£11.95).

On inspecting the menu, he remarked that it was good to find several choices available for vegetarians. Carnivores have a great choice too.

By the time we were ready to leave, Paul had convinced me I needed to upgrade my camera if I was to take food photography seriously. Perhaps I will do just that.

* You will find a full menu listed on the Maytime website themaytime.com